1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a reversing device for rails being swivelable around a swivelling axis or for movable frogs within the crossing area of a railway switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Within the crossing area of a railway switch it is possible to obtain a continuous travelling edge in the just desired travelling direction if, for example, wing rails are brought into engagement with a rigid frog, noting that, in dependence on the travelling direction, one of both wing rails is, within the crossing area, brought into contact with the frog and the opposite wing rail is lifted off at the same side of the frog. In principle, it is, for example, from the European Patent Application No. 130 783, already known to use a swivelable rail section in place of a frog, so that, in dependence on the swivelled position of the rail section, a continuous upper edge of the rail is at disposal for travelling over the crossing area in a substantially shock-free manner. For reversing such devices, there have, up till now, been proposed usual adjusting devices being commonly used in switch construction. Such adjusting devices comprise angle levers and push rods and have a relatively complex structure. On account of the great number of articulated joints in such adjusting devices, such adjusting devices can never directly be used for supporting the correct position of movable rails within the crossing area of a railway switch.
In particular, in case of railway switches being travelled upon with high speed, it is of substantial importance to reliably and correctly support the respective selected position of the rail or frog, respectively, within the crossing area of the railway switch. In connection with wing rails, there have already been proposed arrangements comprising supporting rods for maintaining a selected position. In particular AT-PS No. 328 488 shows a switch for Vignoles' rails which comprise a frog and movable wing rails. In this construction, the movable wing rails serve the purpose to avoid any interruption of the travelling edge within the area of the frog, which interruption would detract from the travelling comfort. Supporting of the wing rails in their respective frog-contacting position does, however, not make sure, in this known construction, the maintainance of a required minimum distance for the passage of the wheel flange. In the known construction, a supporting rod was provided for supporting purposes, which supporting rod may extend over several sleepers and thus can provide a supporting effect even in case of length differences resulting from temperature fluctuations. Reversal of the switch was, in this known construction according to the AT-PS No. 328 488, effected in a known and usual manner and the wing rails were also adjusted in an analogous manner.